Samiddhilokapañhā Sutta

 

People say: “The world, the world”

 

What exactly is the world, Bhante,

or perhaps what is its definition?^[1]

 

With Senses

 

“Whenever there is an eye,

there are forms,

there is visual consciousness,

there are thoughts based on visual consciousness,^[2]

there is ‘the world,’ and that is its definition.”^[3]

 

“Whenever there is an ear,

there are sounds,

there is auditory consciousness,

there are thoughts based on auditory consciousness,

there is ‘the world,’ and that is its definition.”

 

“Whenever there is a nose,

there are odors,

there is olfactory consciousness,

there are thoughts based on olfactory consciousness,

there is ‘the world,’ and that is its definition.”

 

“Whenever there is a tongue,

there are flavours,

there is gustative consciousness,

there are thoughts based on gustative consciousness,

there is ‘the world,’ and that is its definition.”

 

“Whenever there is a body,

there are tactile objects,

there is tactile consciousness,

there are thoughts based on tactile consciousness,

there is ‘the world,’ and that is its definition.”

 

“Whenever there is a mind,

there are thoughts,

there is thinking consciousness,

there are thoughts based on thinking consciousness,

there is ‘the world,’ and that is its definition.”^[4]

 

 

Without the Senses

 

“Whenever there is no eye,^[5]

there are no forms,

there is no visual consciousness,

there are no thoughts based on visual consciousness,

there is no ‘world,’ along with its definition.”

 

“Whenever there is no ear,

there are no sounds,

there is no auditory consciousness,

there are no thoughts based on auditory consciousness,

there is no ‘world,’ along with its definition.”

 

“Whenever there is no nose,

there are no odors,

there is no olfactory consciousness,

there are no thoughts based on olfactory consciousness,

there is no ‘world,’ along with its definition.”

 

“Whenever there is no tongue,

there are no flavours,

there is no gustative consciousness,

there are no thoughts based on gustative consciousness,

there is no ‘world,’ along with its definition.”

 

“Whenever there is no body,

there are no tactile objects,

there is no tactile consciousness,

there are no thoughts based on tactile consciousness,

there is no ‘world,’ along with its definition.”

 

“Whenever there is no mind,

there are no thoughts,

there is no thinking consciousness,

there are no thoughts based on thinking consciousness,

there is no ‘world,’ along with its definition.”

 

 

[1] Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, loko vā assa lokapaññatti vā”ti?

[2] atthi cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbā dhammā

[3] “Yattha kho, samiddhi, atthi cakkhu, atthi rūpā, atthi cakkhuviññāṇaṁ, atthi cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbā dhammā, atthi tattha loko vā lokapaññatti vāti …pe… 

[4] atthi mano, atthi dhammā, atthi manoviññāṇaṁ, atthi manoviññāṇaviññātabbā dhammā

[5] natthi cakkhu,